Archive Record

Catalog Number

2005.021.0001

Object Name

Tape, Cassette

Scope & Content

Oral history of Charles Roberts recorded by Steve Williams on 8 July 2004. Charlie Roberts' ancestry included Roberts on both sides of his family. His great grandfather was one of the first to tunnel in the quarries; few men did this job.

At least 4 generations of Charlie Roberts' family worked in the quarries. 5 brothers arrived in this area in 1846; they worked in the Penrhyn Quarry here and earlier in the Penrhyn Quarry in Wales. One brother went to Pennsylvania where he owned a quarry; was co-founder of Bangor, PA. 3 of the brothers in Middle Granville. Ebenezer Roberts was Charlie's great grandfather.

Discussion of Charlie's family history includes quarrymen, one female who worked in Penrhyn, the household, Elwyn Hughes, and life/work during World War.

Charlie Roberts started work in the quarries in 1945 at 85 cents/hour; Slavic man taught him and his grandfather had trained him. He was paid $1/hour to trim. Worked as a block cutter, drilled, used plug. Charlie worked after hours on rubble, sold to Canadian. 1952 worked for Canadian, sold to local people. Charlie worked for the Fair Haven Slate Co for 18 years; it went out of business in 1970(?). After 1970, he worked only occasionally (Pafundi). He worked 25 years altogether in the slate industry, could split slate to 1/4 inch, never blasted alone.